Getting to Know You: The Inside Out of Relationship

Linda Perry is a senior policy analyst at the Ontario Ministry of
Colleges and Universities.

This is a book about the psychology involved in an intimate
relationship. At its core is Jung’s essay “Marriage as a
Psychological Relationship.” The book, though dealing with complex
issues and concepts, is accessible to the uninitiated, as Sharp
introduces Jung’s precepts in graduated stages.

The structure of the book is virtually a transcript of a seminar on
Jung’s essay. Sharp approaches his subject from three perspectives,
using three typefaces to distinguish them: quotes from Jung’s essay,
Sharp’s commentary on Jung’s work, and the seminar participants’
questions and remarks.

While this triad device may seem contrived and may frustrate the reader
in the early pages, overall it works. Sharp makes a progressively
complex analysis of Jung’s essay—and relationships—in measured
steps. The voices of the seminar participants echo the lay reader’s
own thoughts, to which Sharp then responds. The book has a dynamic
interactive quality.

It is a slim volume, barely 128 pages, but then Jung’s essay was only
12. With a respectful bow to Jung scholars, or disciples, Getting to
Know You is both a Jungian primer and a practical guide. It might well
have been titled “Getting to Know Myself,” which Sharp suggests may
be a critical necessity for a conscious relationship. Lastly, although
the book has a leaven of humor, it is well away from the typical
pop-psych genre of tips and quips.